Gas range



H. W. ODOWD GAS RANGE Filed July 18, 1956 Aug. l5, 1939.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 2 M Q07 M 13u/mm, Wsw

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. l5, 1939. H w, O'DOWD 2,169,660

GAS RANGE Filed July 18, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 NVENTOP Patented Aug. 15, 1.939

NT OFFICE GAS RANGE l Henry W. ODowd, Jersey Gity, N. J., assignorfto Standard Gas Equipment Corporation, a. cor- Aporation of Maryland Application July` 1s, 1936, 'seal No. 91.330

9Claims.

This invention relates generally to stoves or ranges for cooking by gas or other uld fuel of analogous character and more particularly to gas stoves of the general character represented in U. S. Letters Patent Nos.' 1,456,822 and 1,456,823, to Henry W. ODowd, wherein the stove ispro-v vided with a closed-cooking top, an underlying Bunsen burner, and an enclosed combustion chamber substantially coextensive with the cook ing top and providing for the admission of secondary air around theburner to support combustion and for the` escape of theproducts of combustion to the Aflue at the back of the stove.

It is the main object of the present invention to increase the efiiciency of the stoveand, to this end, the invention provides means for dissemif ,nating the heat from the burner more uniformly Y throughout the combustion chamber beneath the cooking top of the stove and means for attaining a more sensitive automatic control of the tem="' perature of the cooking top. More specically, the invention provides for the partitioning of the combustion chamber into a plurality of passages or compartments radiating from the burner to disseminatethe heat therefrom uniformly in al1 directions, these individual passages or compartments communicating with a flue surrounding the combustion chamber and containing in one portion a thermostat subject to the-influence of the heat circulating therein and free from the influence of direct heat from the burner.

In the accompanying drawings the invention has been shown merely by` way of example and in preferred vform and obviously many variations and modiiications may beL made therein which will still be comprised within'its spirit. It isto be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations appear in the appended claims. v.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view Vof the top of the stove, in partly opened condition to show the improvements embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-section taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 isa plan View of the stove, partly broken away to show the internal structure;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a modified structure; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of asecond modification of the invention.

The body of the st ove, denoted as a whole by the reference numeral I I, may be of any suitable shape or design but is preferably made square or rectangular as shown in the several views of the drawings. In general, the stove is of the so-'called hotel'range type having a closed cooking top I2 comprised of two removable sections I3 and I4 fitting together and formed with semi-circular cut-outs which jointly define a. central opening I5 to receive the usual rings and lid. The space immediately underlying the cooking top I2 is devoted to the combustion chamber A and the surrounding ue B, the outer walls of the latter being defined by the side walls I'I and the front and rear walls I8 and I9, respectively, of the stove body, and the bottom wall of both the chamber A and -ue B comprising a layer of rebrick supported by a plate-2| in parallel spaced relation to the cooking top. The Bunsen burner 22 is of a Well'known type comprising four tubular rings 22a, 22h, 22c and 22d individually controlled and fed from the manifold 23 leadingirom the main fuel supply pipe 24, the burner rings being encased in a housing 25 disposed over an opening 26 in the supporting plate 2| below the central lid opening I5 and Surrounded by the layer of firebrick 20. The burner housing 25 is formed in upper and lower sections 21 and 28, respectively, the top wal l 29 of the` upper section being perforated as at so to allow the flames to project therethrough and the bottom wall 3| of the lower section being formed with openings 32 for the admission of secondary air to support combustion. The layer of firebrick '20, which surrounds the burner housing 25, serves vthe two-fold purpose of insulating the parts beneath it and of radiating heat upwardly to the cooking top- I2. The rear Wall I9 of thestove is formed with a flue opening 33 toprovide for the escape ofthe products of the combustion from the flue B tothe usual main flue or chimney at the back of the stove; and a thermostat 34 is arranged in the ilue B to be subject to the heat circulating therein in its passage to the main ue.

In accordance with the present invention, and referring particularly to Figs. l, 2 and 3, the top surface ofthe layer of rebrick 20 lies substantially'in the horizontal plane ofthe top of the burner housing 25 and is formed adjacent the burner housing with a collar 35 surrounding and rising above the burner housinglto concentrate the heat from the burner `upwardly in the region of the lid opening I5. Formed integrally with and extending downwardly from each section I3 and I4' of the cooking top I2 is a section of a r chamber A and the inner wall of the ilue B. In the embodiment shown, the combustion chamber is octagonal in plan or outline, but the wall 33 may be such as to dene a. chamber of any desired conguration and area. A plurality of spaced vanes or bailles 31 formed integrally with each section of the cooking top I2 and partitioning wall 36 extend radially inward therefrom toward the burner, terminating in close proximity thereto and creating between them a plurality of radial passages or compartments 38. The bottom edges of the partitioning wall 36 and of the van-es 31 are adapted to engage or at least lie suillcientlyclose tothe layer of iirebrick 20 to shut oif, for all practical purposes, communication between the passages 38 and between the chamber A and flue B; and the lower edges of the vanes 31 are notched at their inner ends, as at 39, to t over the collar 35 of rebrick surrounding the burner housing 25. Holes are drilled in the wall 36 to provide restricted vents' 4I! for the escape of the heated products of combustion into the surrounding unpartitioned flue B. It will be noted in Fig. 2 that the thermostat 34 extends horizontally fore and aft in the flue B at the left-hand side of the stove with its top edge substantially at the level of the bottom edges of the vents 40 and is thus located so that it will not be subjected directly to the heat passing through the holes (and which immediately rises) but rather to the so-called exploded heat circulating in the flue.

While the drawings show that vents 40 of uniform area are provided for all the passages 38, it is pointed out that their size and number may be varied to adapt the invention to different conditions. For example, in certain instances the type of stove or fuel employed may demand more or less venting and it may be preferable to restrict the vents for the different passages progressively, that is, to provide large vents for the passages at the front and vents for the passages along each side and at the rear whose areas are progressively less; and, in some cases it may be desirable to block off or omit entirely the openings at the front or the rear, or both. The variation best adapted to operating conditions in any particular instance will be apparent to those skilled in the art and will in nowise constitute a departure from the invention.

The modification shown in Fig. 4 is an adaptation of the invention to a stove which is not equipped with a thermostat for automatically controlling the temperature of the cooking top I2, the main object in this instance being the uniform dissemination of heat beneath the cooking top. In this embodiment, the partitioning wall 38 is cast with vents 4I, open at the bottom edge of the wall as shown, instead of having them drilled after casting, since it is unnecessary tokeep the escaping unexploded gases above the level of a thermostat and a material saving in the cost of manufacture is effected.

In Fig. 5, the invention is shown as embodied in two sections 42 and 43 which together form a unit adapted to be applied to existing stoves, and which is less expensive for such purpose than the complete stove top unit with the partitioning wall and vanes formed integrally therewith. Each section comprises a plate 44 having one-half of the partitioning wall 3B and its associated vanes 31 formed integrally therewith, although the plate 44 may be omitted. if desired, but at the expense of the strength and heat absorbing and radiating surface which it affords. The unit is shown as provided with drilled vents 4U in the partitioning wall 38 to adapt it to a stove equipped with a thermostat, as in the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, but of course it may be formed with vents similar to those shown in Fig. 4 for application to a stove not having the automatic control. Moreover, the notches 39 at vthe inner ends of the vanes 31 may be omitted for adaptation to existing stoves wherein a collar 35 of rebrick around the burner is not present; and, if desired, a sheet metal band or collar (not shown) may be furnished and fitted around the burner housing between it and the surrounding ilrebrick 2li as a substitute for the rebrick collar 35, such variations being within the contemplated scope of the invention.

In operation, when the burner is lighted the' collar of ilrebrick surrounding the burner concentrates the heat on the stove lid and rings directly above it. The heat and products of combustion from the flames expand in all directions above the collar 35 and enter the passages 38 between the vanes 31, from which they pass through the vents or 4I (as the case may be), into the surrounding flue B, but because of the restriction of the vents the venting is retarded somewhat so that ample opportunity is afforded the giving up of more heat units to the cooking top I2 than if the circulation through the passages 35 were unimpeded. In the event that some of the passages 38 are not provided with vents leading to the surrounding flue B, dead pockets are not created in those passages, for the hotter gases enter at the top of the passages and circulate toward the rear, forcing the cooler gases back along the bottoms of the passagesand out into the region of the burner where they are reheated and caused to mix and circulate in all directions with other gases, any carbon monoxide which may tend to accumulate in those passages being forced out into the presence of the ilames where it is consumed and the products thereof mingled with other gases and eventually carried ou through passages which do vent into the surrounding ilue. As the heat and products of combustion pass into the ilue B through the vents 4D or 4I, they rise to the top of the flue and then circulate therethrough, finally passing out the opening 33 at the rear to the main flue. the thermostat 34, when present, being affected only by the circulating heat.

In all stoves, whether equipped with a thermostat control or not, the uniform dissemination of heat throughout the cooking top is shown by tests to have increased the eillciency of the stove so that an average over-all temperature of the cooking top '10 F. higher than that formerly obtainable with the given flow of fuel per hour is obtained with more than a 30% reduction in fuel consumption; while in stoves equipped for automatic temperature control, the uniformity of temperature of the heat circulating in the ilue B and the diierence between the temperature in the combustion chamber A above the burner and that in the flue B (about 450 F. at the so-called cold set or lowest adjustable point provided for the thermostat) renders the thermostat 34 highly sensitive to slight changes in temperature in the region of the stove top above the burner, thereby enabling it to maintain a more even cooking heat with a material saving in fuel.

Some gas stoves are equipped with burners located at the front or at the sides of the stove and the products of combustion therefrom traverse the combustion chamber and are carried off through a flue opening at the opposite side of the 7g with the vanes,

stove; and diierent burner. arrangements are employed such as a single burner with a plurality of ilame ports or multiple burners individually controlled and having each one or more ame ports. Moreover, sometimes the burner or burners are located in the combustion chamber at one side thereof or exterior of the combustion chamber and arranged to discharge the products of combustion thereinto. However, the present invention is applicable regardless of the burner arrangement employed and its location with respect to the combustion chamber, for, as already stated, the invention is not limited to any specific form or embodiment except insofar as such limitations appear in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In or for a gas range having a closed cooking top, an underlying combustion chamber, a vcentrally located Bunsen burner arrangement therefor, and a flue surrounding the combustion chamber, means for dividing the combustion chamber into a plurality of passages or 'compartments radiating from the burner to disseminate heat uniformly throughout the cooking top and venting into said ue for carrying oi the products of combustion, said dividing means being constructed and arranged to eiect an even circulation of the hot gases from the burner along definite paths throughout the combustion chambei' to the surrounding flue.

2 Heat disseminating means according to claim 1, wherein the means for dividing the combustionv chamber comprises a plurality of vertical vanes arranged therein. and wherein the combustion chamber is dened by a Wall formed integrally with the vanes and provided with restricted openings to vent the products of combustion from the passages to the surrounding ilue.V

3.`Heat disseminating means according to claim 1, wherein the means for dividing the combustion chamber comprises a plurality of vertical vanes arranged therein, and wherein the combustion chamber is dened'by a wall formed integrally characterized by the fact that the wall of the combustion chamber is formed in tvgo sections each with its associated vanes and that the sections are adapted jointly to form a unit dening the combustion chamber and radiating passages.

ifi. Heat disseminating means according to claim 1, wherein the means for dividing the combustion chamber comprises a plurality of vertical vanes arranged therein, and wherein the combustion chamber is defined by a wall formed integrally with the vanes, characterized by the fact that the wall of the combustion chamber is formed in two sections each with its associated vanes and that the sections are adapted jointly to form a pnit dening the combustion chamber and radiating passages, and further characterized by the fact that said sections are formed integrally with the cooking top.

5. A gasrange including,

vin combination, a closed cooking top,

an underlying Bunsen burner,

an enclosed' combustion chamber, a flue sur-I rounding the combustionchainber, a plurality of vertical vanes dividing the combustion chamber into a plnralityof separate passages radiating from the burner.- said vanes being constructed and arranged-to eilect an even circulation oi' the hot gases from the burner along dei'inite paths in' all. directions throughout the combustion chamber, and means for venting from individual passages to the surrounding ilue.

6. A gas range including, in combination, a closed cooking top, an underlying Bunsen burner,

an enclosed combustion chamber, a flue sur-- rounding the combustion chamber, a vertical partition formed on the cooking top deining the outer Wall of the combustion chamber and the inner wall of the surrounding iiue, and a plurality of vertical vanes formed on the cooking top and separating the combustion chamberinto a plurality of passages radiating from the burner and being constructed and arranged to eiect an even circulation of the hot gases from the burner along definite paths throughout the combustion chamber, said partition being formed with apertures for venting the products of combustion from individual passages to the surrounding flue.

7. A gas range including, in combination, a closed cooking top, an underlying Bunsen burner, an enclosed combustion chamber, a ue surrounding the combustion chamber, and a plurality of passages or compartments common to the burner and extending in diierent directions therefrom for disseminating heat uniformly throughout the cooking top, said passages being constructed and arranged. to effect an even circulation of the hot gases from the burner along denite paths throughout the combustion chamber and venting into the surrounding flue.

8. A gas range including, in combination, a closed cooking top, an underlying combustion chamber substantially coextensive therewith, a Bunsen burner serving the combustion chamber and having vertically disposed ame ports to concentrate heat on an area of the cooking top substantially co-extensive with the area of the burner, thereby creating a localized hot zone of the cooking top, a iiue surrounding the combustion chamber, and dividing means arranged in the combustionchamber and forming a plurality of passages extending from the burner to the ilue adapted to direct the products of combustion from the burner to the ue along deiinite paths throughout the combustion chamber, thereby dis- 'seminating the heat-from the burner uniformly throughout the area of the cooking top to create an outlying progressively cooler zone of the cooking top.

9. A gas range including, in combination, a closed cookingtop, an underlying combustion chamber substantially co-extensive therewith, a Bunsen burner serving the combustion chamber and having vertically disposed flame ports to concentrate heat on an area of the cooking ,top substantially co-extensive with the area of the burner, thereby creating a localized hot zone of the cooking top, a partition dening the combustion chamber and a surrounding ue, and vanes arranged in the combustion chamber and forming a plurality of passages extending from the burner to the partition and communicating through restricted openings therein with the surrounding flue, said passages being adapted to direct the products of combustion from the burner to the flue along deiinite paths throughout the combustion chamber, thereby disseminating the heat from the burner uniformly throughout the area of the cooking top to create an sively cooler zone ofthe cooking top.

HENRY W. O'DOWD.

outlying progres- ,o 

